Alone in the Dark

[magnifiedplaid]

Well, I finished this yesterday. I don't mind the endings, though the "good" ending really should have been longer than ten seconds and actually explained what the fuck just happened.

The controls are unbelievably clunky but you do get used to them. A lot depends on your preferred methods to solve problems. You'll have serious issues with the controls if you try to knock down enemies and then shoot them with fire bullets, but fewer if you try to just spray them with a makeshift flamethrower or throw molotov cocktails at them.

There are some great ideas at work with the freeroaming structure, but that roots section was a real pain. The half-dozen or so roots that required creative problem solving were great, but the rest were an exercise in tedium and only seemed to be present in order to make the player cover every last inch of Central Park.

I really can't say enough about the puzzle solving. It's great, and having to fashion weapons out of whatever is lying around really adds to the whole "survival" aspect of the game. The "horror" aspect is definitely present too, especially when you're desperately trying to hotwire a car before the giant zombie reaches you.

What isn't great is the pile of glitches. Trying to drive cars off of ramps is an exercise in repetitive frustration. Falling through the ground is an ignoble end. And attempting to use weapons in confined spaces is an absolute nightmare.

Still, I'm really forgiving to games that try to do something new, even if they don't quite manage it. Alone in the Dark reaches for the stars but doesn't make it. If it worked flawlessly, this would be a serious contender for best game ever. As it stands, it's a flawed gem that has many ideas I'm sure will appear in other titles. It's worth playing if you can put up with serious flaws for seriously brilliant ideas.

I agree with much of what you said in this post.

I think, what bugged me about the endings wasn't so much that they were short, but that there wasn't much to differentiate between the "good" and "bad" endings. Despite all the games glitches and flaws, I found myself completely immersed in the game from beginning to end and I actually became semi-emotionally invested in Edward's quest. Therefore, the content of the endings totally bummed me out.

I actully didn't mind the evil roots section of the game. I found it as a great opportunity to finally explore central park a bit. Its just too bad that most of it had to be clumped towards the end of the game. I think the game would have benefitted from showing you the location of all the evil roots at the start so you could burn them throughout the course of the game.

I really hope that this sells well and Eden studios doesn't become too discouraged by the negative reviews. I think Eden studios could use this as a springboard to make a superb sequel if they fix some of the glitches....and if they're smart enough to leave out the "black slime"

[bVork]

I think, what bugged me about the endings wasn't so much that they were short, but that there wasn't much to differentiate between the "good" and "bad" endings. Despite all the games glitches and flaws, I found myself completely immersed in the game from beginning to end and I actually became semi-emotionally invested in Edward's quest. Therefore, the content of the endings totally bummed me out.

See, I don't mind the bleakness of both endings. In fact, I'm glad this game had the balls to not include a truly happy ending.

I actully didn't mind the evil roots section of the game. I found it as a great opportunity to finally explore central park a bit. Its just too bad that most of it had to be clumped towards the end of the game. I think the game would have benefitted from showing you the location of all the evil roots at the start so you could burn them throughout the course of the game.

I really hope that this sells well and Eden studios doesn't become too discouraged by the negative reviews. I think Eden studios could use this as a springboard to make a superb sequel if they fix some of the glitches....and if they're smart enough to leave out the "black slime"

Atari has said that this is the last "big budget" game they'll do unless it sells well. I hope it does, for Eden's sake. Both Test Drive Unlimited and Alone in the Dark were very unique titles, and I don't want to see them forced to make casual games.

And the black slime was no real threat if you used emergency flares. The light that those give off is enough to keep slime far away from you and thus lets you walk through the pools unharmed.

[Frogacuda]

See, I don't mind the bleakness of both endings. In fact, I'm glad this game had the balls to not include a truly happy ending.

Shit, remember the end of the original?

[magnifiedplaid]

Shit, remember the end of the original?

Was the end of the original really bleak as well?

[bVork]

Only if you consider Goosebumps novel endings to be bleak. Carnby gets in a car and the driver turns around and his face is a skull.

[Frogacuda]

Oh yeah, it was cheesy as hell (I love Carby jumping up and clicking his heels together too) but still, neither a happy nor especially satisfying ending.

[magnifiedplaid]

Only if you consider Goosebumps novel endings to be bleak. Carnby gets in a car and the driver turns around and his face is a skull.

LOL. I'm assuming that Carnby probaly didn't turn around and say "FUCK YOU anyways"

[Joust Williams]

This game is terrible. the end

only buy this if you're an idiot

[NeoZeedeater]

I'm still waiting for the 360 demo but Frogacuda's TNL review makes it sound pretty good, and it seems to coincide with bVork's view of the game in many ways. I didn't follow this game closely so I just learned it's by Eden Games. That also makes me want to play it as their Rayman-ish PS2 game Kya was one of last gen's most underrated platformers.

[Frogacuda]

It's a flawed game but I really have to say the good completely overwhelmed the bad for me. I think the bad reviews just don't understand what survival-horror is really about.